"It is probably worthy to note that Cleavon won
a Toni Award for his performance (as Purlie, I believe) in the Off Broadway
production of Purlie Victorious. Both Melba Moore and Ben Vereen were in
the original cast of the production. I Grew up with Cleavon in San Diego,
CA. and we were 'next door neighbors' from 1951 through 1964. Cleavon was
regarded as a "Great Young Orator" (San Diego.) Where in his young
teens he traveled throughout the city, accepting engagements to recite (by
memory) the entire collection of "God's Trombones", by the great James
Weldon Johnson. After graduating from San Diego State College (now University)
with a degree having to do with Childhood Learning Difficulties, Cleavon was
awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard Institute of the Arts in N.Y.
Cleavon was a superior 'classical actor' who had to accept the role of a
'comedian type' because Black Actors (and actresses) were 'blackballed' from the
serious roles or roles with content, certainly up through the 1960's. Which you
may recall as the pinnacle of the Blaxploitation era. In acknowledgement of his
talent and his passion for the classics, Cleavon performed "Shakespeare in
the park" - pro-bono for 3 or 4 summers prior to succumbing to the stomach
ailment which he died from. (Cleavon had had stomach problems (dating back to
the late 50's) - from the demands he put on himself, striving for excellence.
Thank you for your time."

And thank you Bob for that insight. Laurie
wrote me in 2003 to add these facts:

His "stomach aliment" was ulcerated colitis
which bothered him only on occasion. I can say that he had many "dead
beat" friends who had drinking problems, hit him up for money a lot, and,
when he was terminally ill, tried to gain his possessions.